http://multilingualbooks.com/online-newspapers.html. • Access to newspapers
from around the world http://www.languagequest.com/utilities/foreign-
newspapers.
TEACHER: Linda Zusman LESSON TITLE: Family & Celebrations: Weddings GRADE: 7-8 (may be adapted for 9-12) SUBJECT: Languages other than English TIME FRAME: 2-3 class periods PLANNING AND PREPARATION: Special considerations: • Student experiences • Access to materials / technology • Level(s) of proficiency
MATERIALS/EQUIPMENT NEEDED : • • •
Authentic materials: invitations, newspapers, programs, etc. Access to computer Family memorabilia from students
LEARNING
STANDARDS:
New York State Learning Standards for Languages Other Than English: Modern Languages, Checkpoint A • Standard 1 Communications Skills; Key Idea 1, Performance Indicators 1, 3, 4; Key Idea 2, Performance Indicators 1, 2 • Standard 2 Cultural Understanding; Key Idea 1, Performance Indicator 1 NYS Common Core Learning Standards in ELA and Literacy in History/Social Studies, Sciences, and the Technical Subjects: • Reading for Information grade 8, Standards 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9; Writing grade 8, Standards 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 ACTFL National Standards for Foreign Language Education • Standard 1 Communication - Communicate in Languages Other Than English o Standard 1.1; Standard 1.2; Standard 1.3 • Standard 2 Cultures - Gain Knowledge and Understanding of Other Cultures o Standard 2.1; Standard 2.2 • Standard 3 Connections - Connect with Other Disciplines and Acquire Information o Standard 3.1 • Standard 4 Comparisons - Develop Insight into the Nature of Language and Culture o Standard 4.1; Standard 4.2
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SHIFTS IN RELATION TO COMMON CORE STANDARDS: This lesson specifically incorporates the following pedagogical shifts demanded by the Common Core State Standards: • •
Balancing Information and Literary Text Academic Vocabulary
CONTENT OBJECTIVES: •
•
•
•
Students will identify similarities and differences in the customs associated with weddings and marriage in the target culture and in the United States by drawing upon their own knowledge and the knowledge of their peers and by accessing authentic materials such as videos, invitations, programs, first person reports, and newspaper/blog articles. Students will reflect upon and cite examples of cultural norms and traditions, both previously identified and new to them, particular to the target country as evidenced in the authentic materials. Students will analyze why specific cultural traditions have developed by relating them to their knowledge of social and economic factors in the target countries (e.g.: sponsors for different parts of the wedding as part of a Hispanic tradition). Students will demonstrate their understanding of these traditions through discussion, shared experiences, and the creation (depending upon skill level) in the target language of a wedding invitation and program, formal announcement, and/or newspaper report of a wedding in the target language.
ACADEMIC VOCABULARY : Vocabulary list adapted to the authentic materials used.
DIFFERENTIATED INSTRUCTION: • • • •
Level of difficulty in authentic materials Student project assignments: invitation/program/newspaper article Individual/pair/group work Student presentation/project
SEQUENCE OF LESSON ACTIVITIES: Activity 1 Shift - Speaking and writing grounded in evidence. •
• • •
Assess prior knowledge of the customs associated with marriage in the target culture and compare that with student understanding of and experience with American weddings and weddings from their own cultural background. Students brainstorm within small groups what they know about wedding traditions in the U.S. and what, if anything, they know about those traditions in one of the target cultures. Students are encouraged to share relevant personal experience as it relates to the discussion. Groups create a Venn diagram or similar graphic to show their initial conclusions and share them with the rest of the class.
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Activity 2 Shift – Reading and speaking grounded in evidence. • The teacher presents copies of wedding invitations/ programs/announcements from target cultures to the class. • Students read and discuss the information provided and relate it to their own understanding of the traditions of the target cultures. Activity 3 Shift -Academic vocabulary; Building knowledge through complex texts. • Students are provided with additional information in the target language about these traditions through videos, first-person reports, access online to websites, newspapers and blogs, etc. Activity 4 Shift – Reading, writing, and speaking, grounded in evidence. • Students return to their original groups and rework their original graphic, either recreating it to display next to their “first draft” or by using a different color or post-its to add or change initial information. • The group displays the re-worked product for the class to view. Activity 5 Shift – Reading, writing, and speaking, grounded in evidence. • Students create their own invitation, announcement and program, or article in the target language about a real or imagined wedding. (For high school LOTE classes, this could be a tie-in to a piece of literature: wedding between two characters) • These projects are displayed in the classroom or in another suitable area.
Closure: • Students will know that traditions are shaped and influenced by such things as economic necessity and political climate as well as family values. • They will explain how the wording and content of wedding invitations and announcements reflects the target culture, identify the significant elements of the preparations and ceremony in relation to the target culture, and identify cross cultural influences.
ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS: • • • •
What is a family? What makes something a tradition? How do traditions begin? What are the similarities and differences between the traditions studied in the target language/culture and those we are familiar with in the United States?
ASSESSMENT :
• • • •
Creation and presentation of pre-and post-Venn diagrams (group grade) Creation and presentation of invitation/program, announcement, and/or newspaper report. Participation in discussions and in finding additional examples of authentic materials on the Internet. Using specific academic vocabulary applicable to the topic in discussion and written product.
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Resources •
Access to newspapers in Chinese, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Portuguese, Russian and Spanish-speaking countries. http://libguides.mit.edu/content.php?pid=146063&sid=1247903
•
Access to newspapers from Europe and Asia http://multilingualbooks.com/online-newspapers.html
•
Access to newspapers from around the world http://www.languagequest.com/utilities/foreign-newspapers.php
•
Various Internet homepages which can be called up in the target language (AOL, MSN, etc.)
•
ERIC article on the language for refusing invitations (interesting cultural addition for advanced students) http://www.eric.ed.gov/ERICWebPortal/search/detailmini.jsp?_nfpb=true&_&ERICEx tSearch_SearchValue_0=EJ824660&ERICExtSearch_SearchType_0=no&accno=EJ824 660
•
www.youtube.com/ - Screen these first, but sometimes there are home movies or excerpts from documentaries and theatrical releases which accurately depict ceremonies and celebrations.
Classical languages: • http://ancienthistory.about.com/education/ancienthistory/ • http://www.ancientgreece.com/ • www.caesny.org • http://www.historylink101.com/ancient_rome.htm • http://www.vroma.org/
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